The Most Important Exercises You're Not Doing

The Most Important Exercises You're Not Doing

Have your fitness gains flat-lined? Weak hip flexors could be the culprit.

Shortening of the hip flexor muscles—which run down your upper thigh and allow you to lift your knees and also stabilize the spine—is a common problem among runners, cyclists, and office-chair dwellers alike, says exercise physiologist Marta Montenegro, MS, CSCS.

Shortened hip flexors are tight, weak ones, and can contribute to improper exercise form and posture. The result: slower times, weaker lifts, back pain, and, according to a new review presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, to lower-leg running injuries.

Problem is, strength training can actually make the problem worse: Most leg exercises engage a range of muscles, and the strongest ones are always the first to step up to the proverbial plate, Montenegro says. That means your hip flexors let your glutes, quads, and hamstrings do the brunt of the work—and reap the exercise’s muscle-boosting benefits.

“Unless you consciously incorporate exercises that focus on your hip flexors, your workouts may be creating additional strength disparities,” she says. Those muscle imbalances can thwart your fitness progress and up your risk of injury.

Show your hip flexors some much-needed love with these moves from Montenegro. Add them to your lower-body workout routine or complete them as shown three times a week on nonconsecutive days.

Swiss-Ball Jackknife

Get in a pushup position with your arms straight and hands slightly wider that your shoulders. Rest your shins on a Swiss ball, with your body forming a straight line. Roll the ball forward to your chest with your feet. Pause, then lower your hips and roll the ball back to start. That’s one rep. Complete three sets of 15 reps each.

Stepup with Knee Raise

Step up on a bench or step with your left foot. Bring your right leg forward and up, bending your knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor. Lower your right leg back to start, then the left. Repeat on the opposite side. That’s one rep. Complete three sets of 10 reps.

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

Kneel down with your left knee and right foot on the floor, your right knee bent at 90 degrees. Reach your right hand above your ear as high as you can. Bend your torso to the right. Then rotate to the right as you reach your right hand as far behind you as you can. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side. That’s one set. Complete three sets.

Standing Hip Thrust

Stand with your feet together, hands on your hips. Step forward with one foot so that your feet are a couple of feet apart. Keep your toes facing forward and your knees slightly bent. Gently push your pelvis forward until you feel a very mild stretch in your hips. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side. That’s one set. Complete three sets.

Original article and pictures take www.rodalewellness.com site